THURSDAY'S threatened strike action by binmen and street clean-ers on Anglesey has been called off.

A bitter pay dispute meant members of the GMB trade union employed by Ecovert voted in favour of industrial action over a 2pc pay award.

Union officials said the company had not entered into any form of discussion or consultation with the union.

But a new improved 7pc increase which is being backdated to last January has now been put on the table.

Branch secretary Steve McBride said: "This settlement is good news all round. We always felt that the dispute could be resolved by negotiation rather than confrontation and only planned the strike action as a last resort.

"Further discussions with the company at the end of last week led to a substantially improved pay offer and most importantly an agreement to recognise the GMB trade union at a local level.

"We now look forward to developing a good working relationship with the company."

Anglesey County Council waste management officer Meirion Pryce Edwards said: "We welcome the fact that an agreement has been reached thus averting the threatened GMB strike and any resulting inconvenience to the residents of Anglesey." In the run-up to the strike workers had criticised Ecovert for "riding roughshod" over them.

Although the main problem was the imposition of the 2pc pay award, there was concern over the threat of their union being de-recognised.

Mr McBride said matters relating to working conditions and health and safety needed to be raised and dealt with by a union-led workforce committee.

Ecovert is contracted to carry out cleaning duties for the island's council, which six years ago signed a &#xA3;1m a year deal with the start, based company to keep Anglesey clean and tidy.

As part of the contract, Ecovert agreed to buy all its new waste and street cleaning vehicles from local company, Faun, of Beaumaris.

It has pledged not to use vehicles more than five years old to empty the island's 32,000 wheelie bins.

The contract also covers cleaning 850kms of roads and pavements, 40 public toilets, 34 beaches and special areas and emptying and clean-ing 600 litter bins.

Nearly 16 months ago the Verdant group purchased the waste management arm of Ecovert, a French-based company which owns South East Water. The group took over some 460 customers, 250 staff and revenues of &#xA3;11m a year.